Page 23 of A Cowboy's Claim
She laughed. “Good idea. Let me see.” She focused on her cards as he found exactly the one he was looking for.
“You go first,” he offered.
Sydney held the card up in the air as if to prove the question was not her idea. “If you were an animal, which one would it be?”
Even six months ago, he might not have known the answer to this, but since asking random strange questions was one of Jinx’s favorite pastimes, Declan was ready. “A barn cat.”
Sydney blinked. “Really? I could’ve sworn you would’ve said horse.”
“Horses are my favorite animal, but if I was going tobeone, barn cats have it figured out. They’re well fed, they get as much affection as they want, and as much alone time as they need. They’re warm in the winter and cool in the summer and absolutely rule the roost.”
Sydney’s smile brightened her entire face. “And here you were worried you’d be tongue-tied. That was sweet and interesting. I’ve never thought of it like that, but you’re right.” She flashed him a quick thumbs-up. “What’s your question for me? Time is ticking.”
He raised his card as well. “Where’s the one place you’re the most comfortable and feel the most at home?”
“Oh. That’s harder than you’d think.” She got a far off look in her eyes. “To me, they’re almost two different things. I’m extremely comfortable figuring what’s wrong with a person’s body and problem-solving how to fix them. There’s a kind of Zen sensation I get when I’m doing that. But that’s not where I’m the most at home.”
Interesting that her thoughts went first of all tocomfortableas it related to work. “Put the work aside,” he suggested.
A hint of anger lit her eyes. “We’re not getting onto that topic again. I remember you lecturing me about working too hard, but it’s something I really like doing, so don’t?—”
“Wasn’t meant to be a lecture. Just wondering. If you didn’t have any work to do, and you had no one that you wanted to go and visit just to make sure they weren’t falling apart at the seams, where would you go to feel as if you didn’t need to move. Didn’t need to impress anyone?”
Sydney stared at him, an entire kaleidoscope of emotions swirling in her silvery eyes. “Well, shit.”
It wasn’t the clue he’d been hoping for, but it was somehow better. He touched her fingers gently. “Guess you just figured out a good question to research a little more.”
“I guess I did.”
The music changed in the background, and Madison spoke over the speakers to gently remind everyone to stroll around the room and find someone new to chat with.
Declan took a swig of his beer then twisted to place the empty bottle on the table behind him. When he turned back, Sydney was gone and three women stood in front of him, cards extended eagerly, including one girl who didn’t look anywhere near legal age.
Fuck. Tonight was a bad idea coming back to kick his ass.
Declan awkwardly adjusted his hat before grabbing the nearest card that was not held by the girl.
Instinct had him glancing around the room for Sydney.
She stood five paces away from him backed against the wall. A cowboy with a handlebar mustache had his forearm to the wall above her head so he loomed over her. The stranger’s gaze was firmly fixed on her breasts.
And that was a hell no. Time to change the program.
6
When people said eventually karma would catch up and pay her back for every bad deed she’d done, Sydney had always imagined it was a somewhere-down-the-road kind of deal.
But no. She was currently in one of the seven levels of hell as Mr. Mustache attempted to charm her with a story about how he had a big, fat…wallet.
Oh, he posed it as being the question on the card he wanted to hand her, but considering he attempted to tuck said card into her cleavage before she slapped his hand away, the man’s self-preservation instincts were running dangerously low.
Across the room, Madison caught sight of the situation and hurried toward them.
Before the organizer made it even halfway, a clear masculine voice sounded in Sydney’s ear.
“Hey, Syd. Got a question for you.” Declan rumbled up beside Sydney, thrusting out a hand to Mr. Mustache. “Hey there, bro. Hate to interrupt, but my friend here needs to get in on this. You know how it is, looking out for your pals and all. Syd, there’s a nice lady over there I want to introduce you to.”
Declan’s arm slipped around her back and guided her well away from her supposed current chatting partner.
